Claude And The Chicken Watch
by Elli-Dawn
Summary: Joelle gifts Claude a chicken pocket-watch much to Claudes dismay it clucks every hour and drives Claude mad. Just how long can Claude last carrying this watch around?


Claude frowned at the small object that rested in his hand, he didn't understand what possessed her to give him such a gift.

In Claude's hands sat a pocket-watch, it wasn't just any ordinary pocket-watch, this one was shaped like a chicken and at every passing hour the watch would cluck wildly like a real chicken.

"Honestly, is she trying to make a fool of me...?" Claude huffed, his expression was clearly distraught from the thought of having to carry such a thing around.

Joelle had only given it to him a few days prior, Claude was in utter surprise when he found out what it was she had given him and it only got worse when he realized it also clucked.

Claude sighed and shoved it into his pocket and continued his with his duties for the day. Claude made sure he was extra careful to not be anywhere near someone when the hour changed; he dreaded the thought of Wilfred catching him with such a possession.

If he could, Claude would rid himself of the watch in a heartbeat but due to it being a gift from Joelle and the fact she kept asking him everyday If he was taking care of it, Claude was unable to discard it.

"She must have thought it was funny to give me something so ridiculous. I bet she is laughing at me at every passing hour." Claude grumbled as he prepared some tea, he kept glancing at the time to make sure he could get away if needed; the watch clucked pretty loud and he wanted to be out of hearing distance, 'meaning retreating to his room whenever possible.'

Claude rushed to get the tea done as quick as possible but he was quickly running out of time.

"Ugh, dammit! I gotta run." Claude immediately dropped everything he was doing as the clock was about to strike. Claude dashed out of the room and ran as fast as he could towards his room; he didn't have much time left so he picked up his pace.

Claude usually advised against running through the hallways and would scold anyone for doing so but when the castle servants saw him running through the corridors with a look of horror on his face they could all barely contain their laughter.

Claude reached his room and quickly opened up his door in a flash and slammed it behind him, he just made it as the watch began to go off.

'CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK."

"Shut up, you stupid thing!" Claude glared at the watch and began to shout out in frustration. "How long must I keep doing this!" Claude rested against the door completely out of breath from just running a marathon through the castle, something he did every hour. "I'm going to be the fittest butler on the planet at this rate or the deadest...from exhaustion..." Claude tried to pace his breathing and relax himself since he would be doing it all over again within the hour.

After the clucking finally stopped, Claude slowly opened his door and emerged from his room, Claude readjusted his tie and the creases in his clothes and made his way back to finish the tea.

Claude failed to notice just a short distance from his room was a maid with a bewildered expression, she wasn't completely sure on what she just heard but she clearly mouthed the words 'Claude hides chickens in his room?'

Claude continued to prepare the tea, he was entirely focused on it that he was unaware Joelle had just approached him from behind.

"Hi, Claude." Joelle said in a loud cheery voice right next to his ear, which caused Claude to jump on the spot.

Claude immediately spun around to face her. "Joelle!? What are you doing here. I'm busy right now." Claude wasn't expecting to Joelle to abruptly turn up. Claude was on a deadline to get as much as he could before the clock struck again; he wanted to avoid at all costs getting held up somewhere.

Joelle giggled and playfully bopped him on the nose. "Don't look so stressed I just wanted to see you is all."

Claude shook his head, he didn't have time to just stop and chat with her right now. "Sorry, I can't spend time with you right now. Prince Wilfred is waiting for his tea. I need to get it to him as soon as possible." Claude finished preparing the tea and placed it on a teatray.

"Are you still carrying it?" Joelle asked with a innocent smile and Claude sighed, he knew she was enjoying this.

"Yes, yes. Of course. Now, If you'll please excuse me. I have to bring Prince Wilfred his tea." Claude bowed his head slightly and held the teatray on his hand ambled out of the room at a faster pace than usual.

Joelle placed her fingers on her lips as she began to giggle from how Claude was acting. "I can't believe he is still carrying it. I was sure he would have rid himself of it by now. I wonder how long he'll last." Joelle grinned as she glanced over at the door Claude just exited through.

Claude rushed his way over to Wilfred's office and knocked a few times and promptly opened the door. Claude hurriedly stepped inside and placed the tray with the tea down on the table for Wilfred.

"I brought you some tea and light refreshments." Claude glanced at Wilfred and he nodded in thank. Claude bowed his head and was about to leave the room, he wanted to hurry as the clock was to go off anytime now.

But before Claude had the chance to leave Wilfred called out to him, Claude froze on the spot and closed his eyes in horror as he gulped. Claude slowly turned around and tried to maintain his composure as he looked at Wilfred.

"Yes?" Claude spoke in a low tone as he kept glancing over at the clock on the wall. Wilfred noticed his eyes were moving wildly about, "Is something the matter?" Wilfred asked curiously and Claude vigorously shook his head.

"No, no problems at all." Sweat started to drip down his back at every passing minute.

Claude had dreaded this very moment, of all people he didn't want to be caught by Wilfred, he didn't know how he would live it down.

"I wanted to talk to you about my schedule for the coming days. I'd like to do so now." Wilfred was expressionless as he looked at Claude and all Claude could do was nod his head.

Claude prepared himself for the worst, the watch was only mere moments away from going off. Claude hoped maybe Wilfred wouldn't notice or if he could somehow distract Wilfred while it was clucking he could get away with it; Claude was desperate be just wanted to get away.

Claude slowly approached Wilfred and held his breath as the watch was about to go off, a hundred different thoughts crossed his mind as what he could do to distract Wilfred.

The clock struck and right on time the watch began to cluck and at the same time Claude started shouting at Wilfred.

"I'LL HELP YOU NOW-." Claude's voice echoed through the room and Wilfred immediately shushed him.

"Shhh, no need to shout I'm not deaf." Wilfred said and then he noticed it, Claude felt like time had stopped as he went pale.

'CLUCK CLUCK.'

WIlfred looked perplexed as glanced around the room, "Do you hear that? There's a chicken in here!" Wilfred's eyes widened, he never thought a chicken would get into the castle, in fact the castle didn't even have chickens. Wilfred then noticed the sound was coming from none other than Claude.

"Claude? Why are you clucking like a chicken? Are you hiding one?"

Claude was completely taken aback by those words as he scrunched up his face, "Don't be ridiculous! Does it look like I'm hiding a chicken!? And I'm not clucking!" Claude kept trying to hide the fact he was clucking but Wilfred wouldn't buy it.

Wilfred got up from his desk and strode over to Claude.

"I tell you, I'm not hiding a-" Claude immediately stopped talking and gasped as Wilfred started to feel over his clothes with his hands. "What are you doing!? There is no chicken! I don't have a chicken!" Claude was shocked that Wilfred was so freely feeling over his body like that determined to find a hidden chicken.

Claude couldn't take it any more and hurriedly yanked out the chicken pocket-watch from his jacket. "See! This is your culprit!" Claude pointed at the watch and Wilfred laughed.

"So you really were hiding a chicken." Wilfred said as he eyed off Claude's watch.

Claude huffed but then looked at his watch and rolled his eyes, of course it's shaped as a chicken and it clucks. "Okay... Maybe I was! Just so you know I didn't buy this!" Claude protested against Wilfred's claims that he loves chickens, "...And next time. Please don't rub your hands over my body like that..." Claude looked uneasy as a faint blush crept across his cheeks.

"You shouldn't hide things from your prince. He will always find out." Wilfred smirked and returned to his desk. "Have fun with your chicken." Wilfred teased the embarrassed Claude and continued on with his paperwork.

Claude stood there lost for words before he promptly left the room and walked down the corridor with cheeks red as red roses. "Joelle... You had planned this all along didn't you." Claude murmured, he was clearly frustrated.

"That's it, I have had it with this watch. I'll not be mistaken for a chicken or have people think I'm hiding chickens any longer!" Claude exclaimed as took the batteries out of the watch and was only to eager to stuff it into a compartment in his closet. "Good riddance. I'll be made a fool of no longer." Claude closed the closet door and bid farewell to the watch that would no longer continue to haunt him. That was until Joelle later gifted him a chicken wall clock.


End file.
